Kaiba's Cat
by Lynn10
Summary: When Mokuba finds a little abandoned kitten in the rain, he begs Seto to let him keep it. Before our CEO can even blink an eye, his whole life (and house) get turned upside-down. (Summary might change due to plot.)
1. Default Chapter

I had this idea in mind for awhile, just never got down to writing it. I thought I'd try my hand at another Seto fic. I've been doing pretty well with those, it seems, so that encouraged me. Plus, I have two cats of my own, and that helps along the plot. Forgive me, if I don't update quickly; I am a very busy person, and I try my best with updates.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of particular value in this story...except my cats.

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Kaiba's Cat

_By: Lynn_

Chapter One

It was a rainy Friday evening.

Seto Kaiba sat at his work desk, brow furrowed in thought. Papers were strewn all over the brown mahogany, and on top of some of those carelessly-placed papers was a circular-shaped contraption. The day had gone well at the office, the only problem was that nobody seemed to get along with him.

_Well, that's their problem, _he nodded to himself, his elbow propped upon the desk with his chin resting on it. He squeezed his eyes shut, his whole body in a thinking position. He'd been putting off this problem for months now, and it was time he'd got to working on it.

The problem was that there was a glitch in one of his newer models of duel disks. It was a serious dilemma, because the new technology was supposed to be released in a few weeks. It needed to be corrected as soon as possible–if not sooner. But he had more important things to do, like...his homework. So the problem had been stalled, and put off, until it was crunch time.

He sighed and rubbed his temples. 'How to fix it' was the one question in his mind, and all his attention was drawn to that one question.

His door was locked so no one could bother him in this sacred time of solitude when it was just him and his creations. Mokuba knew better than to burst in while this period of time was taking place.

The hours flew by, and still he had not figured out the glitch. It was getting tiresome–even annoying, just staring at this piece of metal and not coming up with any ideas.

_I'd better not agitate myself over this problem anymore, _he thought, finally standing. He'll think about it tomorrow. In the meantime, he'd better check up on his little brother. He told him he could play outside for a while in the rain, and certainly with Seto's absence Mokuba stretched "a little while" into "just a couple hours."

Seto descended the grand staircase, and turned the corner to open the door. He hoped Mokuba hadn't been jumping in mud puddles like his other stupid, brainless classmates. _They have been recently rubbing off on him, _Seto noted, opening the door.

By just opening the door, Seto could tell that it was no "little" rainstorm. It was more like a hurricane. The wind was deafening. Streets outside were almost flooded, and branches were all over the place.

"Mokuba!" Seto called through the downpour of water, but the pounding rain and howling wind brought his voice down to a whisper. "Mokuba!"

Seto growled to himself, and closed the door to get a coat and umbrella. Now he was going to have to get all cold and wet over his belated brother who doesn't know when it's time to come inside. He was already exasperated over the machine problem, so this only added fuel to the fire.

Slipping on his coat, he was just about to open up the door...when it opened by itself!

Startled, Seto backed up, but then sighed when Mokuba entered.

Drenched from head to foot, Mokuba looked like he had been swimming in a turbulent pool. Though he had a raincoat on, it didn't really seem to do much good right then. He also had something in his arms that looked like it had been through worse.

"Mokuba," Seto forgot all the scolding words he meant to use when he found him. Replacing the objurgation with a warm brother's heart, he quickly removed the soaked coat from his brother's body (all the while curious as to what Mokuba was hiding from him) and got a blanket from a nearby closet.

"I want you to change those clothes right this minute, and then we'll talk," Seto noted that while he was speaking, Mokuba seemed totally have his mind on about the thing he obscured from his elder brother's view.

"Okay, Seto," Mokuba hesitated, then dashed up the stairs before Seto could get a better view of the little object.

Seto shrugged. He'll find out what that thing is. If Mokuba didn't want to tell him about it yet, it was probably because he didn't find the words that he thought would convince Seto to keep it (whatever "it" was).

Seto removed his coat and then strolled into his den, the coziest room in the mansion. With a built-in fireplace, bear-skin rug on the floor, and plushy sofa, Seto could always find perfect relaxation when in times of great need.

Then he waited.

Pretty soon, Seto saw a head peek in. Smiling to himself, Seto knew that Mokuba still hadn't thought of what to say. Might as well hear him out.

"Seto–" Mokuba slowly walked in, his hands behind his back. "I have something to ask you."

"What is it?" Seto kept his face free from all emotions as the smaller Kaiba crept in.

"Remember about a year ago when I brought in that little dog and asked to keep him and you said 'no' because I was 'a small, naive child, and deficient and incapable of any responsibility'?" Mokuba rushed through the introduction of his speech as he tried to remember all the big words Seto used on him when he gave him all the reasons why he couldn't have a pet.

Seto's eyes rolled to the ceiling. So _this_ was it. Again. "Mokuba–I thought we ended this conversation a year ago. Yes, we cannot have a pet in this house because I am always busy and you _are_ deficient and lacking in responsibility!" Seto sighed. "Besides, that 'dog' as you call it that you dragged in was half-drowned and half-dead (hey, just like the mutt Joey at school). Anyway, you still are not responsible enough to have a dog."

"What about a cat?" Mokuba gave a hopeful smile as he brought out his hands from behind his back.

There, in Mokuba's hands, was the cutest and most adorable kitten one has ever seen. It fit in the palm of his hand, and was an orangish-striped color. Its eyes were the widest, most beautiful shade of green and gave a sense of being always afraid. Its little tail curled underneath its body, trying to get some warmth. The poor thing was soaked head to tail and was shivering uncontrollably.

"I found it in the rain," Mokuba quickly added when Seto looked up with an agitated gaze. "It didn't have a collar and didn't seem to know where it was going. So I took it. It would have died, Seto!" he jumped in defensively when Seto shook his head.

"Mokuba," Seto paused, thinking of the right words. "I agree with you that the kitten could have died, but that doesn't give you a right to bring it home. Maybe the owner simply didn't buy it a collar. Or maybe it was an indoor kitten, but escaped somehow. You must take it back now."

"Outside!" Mokuba cried, gesturing towards the window. "Seto! The kitten will certainly die outside if I take her back out!"

Seto hesitated and forced himself to look at the trembling animal. Almost knowingly, the tiny thing looked up at him with those big, emerald eyes and said, _Mew! _Its little voice was so soft, and yet so touching to Seto.

'Why on this earth am I faltering for a good-for-nothing, meritless thing that came from the gutter!' his reason demanded, but deep inside, his conscience spoke otherwise.

'Come on, Seto,' it soothed. 'It's just a little kitten; how much trouble could it actually cause? At least just keep it until it stops raining. You never know; it just might make Mokuba have more responsibility!'

Mokuba looked at him, drawing every ounce of cuteness he could muster out when he saw his brother's eyes falter. "Please, Seto, let me keep her, at least for a while!"

Seto sighed again and the words, "all right," forced themselves out of his body.

As Mokuba let out a war whoop, Seto conjoined with, "But only until the rain stops!"

Mokuba didn't even hear that last part as he danced back up to his room to begin his new life with his new pet.


	2. Cat Trouble

Chapter 2

Saturday morning was even worse outside than Friday.

Kaiba awoke to the crashing of lightning and the booming of thunder. He could just imagine what it looked like outside: trash cans strewn around every which way, cut-off electricity, fallen trees, and flooded gutters. It was probably a complete mess outside.

Which meant only one thing: the cat was staying longer than one day.

As he put on a robe and ran a comb through his hair, he thought of the work that needed to be done at present. He should first spend some time on that project that so badly cried for his attention (that would take hours). Then maybe take the time out for the semester exams coming up in school. After that, he might want to call some business associates on that one deal they were trying to make with him.

As far as Seto Kaiba was concerned, the whole day was planned out...until he heard his bedroom door open.

"Seto–"

"What is it, Mokuba?" Seto finished with his toiletries, and turned to face his little brother.

Mokuba looked...different somehow. Seto couldn't place it. Maybe it was his new slippers he bought when they went to the nearby department store (he finally got Mokuba to stop wearing those old, tattered ones all ten-year-olds grow to love). Or maybe it could be that he grew a bit taller (Seto noted that Mokuba was up to his chest, now, rather than up to his stomach...)? Or could it possibly be the huge scar Mokuba had across his cheek?

"Mokuba! What happened to your face?" Seto cried, rushing forward and running a finger along the vivid, deep scratch on his brother's face that ran from the beginning of his cheekbone down to his chin.

Rushing Mokuba back into the bathroom, Seto grabbed for the hydrogen peroxide, ignoring Mokuba's frightened protests.

"No, Seto, not that! Anything but that!"

Alas, all his objections were said in vain, as Seto smeared a cotton ball soaked in peroxide down his brother's cheek. "What happened, Mokuba?"

"The cat scratched me when I was trying to give her a bath," Mokuba responded with a wince as Seto dabbed the cut again with another ball of cotton. "When she saw the water, she got afraid and jumped at my face."

Seto grimaced. It was that cat again! "Oh, Mokuba, you should've let me do that part. You have to be careful with cats when they need baths." He forced a smile as he got out a box of bandages. He was going to get rid of that cat as soon as possible. It was only causing him wasted time, and unnecessary trouble.

"Seto, how do you know about cats?" Mokuba asked as Seto found the right band-aids to put on the wound.

"Let's just say that we had pets before. You just don't remember because you were too little," Seto replied, sticking the said bandage on Mokuba.

Mokuba nodded, then looked up at his brother. "Then can you please help me give her a bath, now? She's very dirty from being outside."

"Mokuba, that cat is a nuisance!"

"Please, Seto? I need you help."

Seto sighed and looked at his watch. Well, forget about the phone calls.

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Rolling up his sleeves, Seto sauntered into the bathroom where Mokuba held the kitten. It's been awhile since he bathed any kind of pet, especially a cat.

Mokuba had the water in the tub running, and the shampoo was sitting there, too.

He grabbed the kitten from Mokuba's hands and looked at it. It still had the adorable eyes, tiny ears, orange fur, and delicate claws. How it could've made such a mark on his brother was still beyond his comprehension.

Staring at his 'prey' one last time, Seto got to work.

With a quick gesture so that the kitten had no idea what was happening, it found itself surrounded by water. Mewing, and scrambling and scratching did no good when against this foe.

Mokuba watched and handed Seto things when he needed them.

"Shampoo!" Seto called to Mokuba in a doctor-to-nurse fashion as the kitten bit down hard on his hand. Gritting his teeth together, Seto shoved the cat deeper into the now-soapy water. The cat fought back, but it was a losing battle.

In about fifteen minutes, the kitten was squeaky clean, and Seto was forced to use the hydrogen peroxide on his own scratched-up hands this time.

He finished bandaging himself up, then smiled to himself as he thought he could now get some work done.

As he was about to go into his room to begin his work, Mokuba raced up to him. "Seto! We don't have any cat food for her!"

"Feed her something else, then!" Seto shouted back, not wanting to get any more entangled into this cat mess then he already was.

"But, Seto, she could get sick! My teacher always said that you can only give _dogs_ human food!"

"Mokuba, we'll get her some food tomorrow. I'm sure she can live with water until we get her some cat food."

"But Seto she'll get sick–"

"Give her some meat or something! Cats _are_ predatory animals, after all!" Seto was running out of ideas fast. And he didn't want to go to the pet store now.

"Please, Seto...she needs _cat _food. Just look at her," Mokuba cradled the little thing in his arms gently, and Seto sighed. He was too much of a pushover.

"This is the last time I'm doing you any kind of favor, kid." Seto let loose his trademark growl. "Stay here; I'll be back in a couple minutes." He slipped on his coat, and marched outside in the pouring rain.

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A drenched Seto Kaiba entered the nearest pet store, and walked down the cat food aisle. Looking at all the different brands of cat food, he had no idea which brand to get for a kitten. True, he _did_ own a cat in the past, but that was years ago. Now, he was stuck, staring at all the brightly-packaged bags, and flowery brand name writing.

'How on earth am I supposed to know which bag to get for a kitten?' he thought forlornly as he stared at row after row of cat food. It was almost as if they were taunting him.

He thought about asking an employee, but he was too proud to do such a thing.

Finally, he decided on a bag, and left it at that.

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Thirty minutes later, Seto opened up the door to his house, soaking wet, and with a bag of Meow Mix in his hands. It said on the bag it was the most widely used food for cats, and something else about getting all their vitamins in one bowl. Plus, Seto remembered that Meow Mix commercial he saw on television, and that helped with making the decision.

He plopped the bag on the floor, and let out a long sigh. There goes studying for those upcoming tests. At least he could finally work on that project...

"Seto?" Mokuba came in, looking sheepish.

"Mokuba, I got the cat food; now you have to leave me alone so I can work on a big project for my company, okay?" Seto took off his coat and shoes, and flopped down in the nearest chair. "Hopefully you don't want any more things for that cat, because I refuse to have any more to do with it! That monstrosity is leaving as soon as the rain stops."

"But Seto–"

"No more 'but Seto', Mokuba! That cat doesn't need any more things to keep it alive! It's like those little kits that you buy that needs all kinds of stuff to keep it running. I need to be left alone now." Seto began to walk back up the staircase, but Mokuba's next words stopped him.

"Okay, Seto," Mokuba shrugged, and mumbled under his breath (knowing that Seto would hear him, of course), "I guess she can just poop anywhere she wants to, then."

"What?!"

"She needs a litter box, Seto, and I don't think we have one."

"You know what?" Seto cried, racing back down the stairs. "If she did anything in my den - or ANYWHERE for that matter - you're going to be grounded until you're eighty!"

Seto dashed into the first place where he thought the cat would be: his den. He was about to examine the place with a microscope, when he felt like he stepped on something squishy.

Seto closed his eyes tightly. _Don't. Look. Down. If you don't look down, you won't know what you stepped on._

Seto looked down.

And screamed for Mokuba.

Mokuba ran in. When he saw everything that was going on, he gave a squeamish smile. "How about 'till I'm sixty?"

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Yes, chapter two is finished. What are your thoughts on it? Do you have a part that you particularly liked? Was there a scene that made you laugh? Please leave it all in your review! 

Note: About Seto and the cat food commercial, has anyone ever seen the commercial with the singing cats in it? I thought that would be particularly funny if I had Seto buying the cat food over a commercial like that.

And I would thank everyone personally, but I'm a bit short on time right now. I'm sure if anyone that's reading this has a job, they know what it's like to be running late! Perhaps next time I'll be able to do a better job with that in the next chapter. Until then!


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